It Might Be Time For a Machinery Update

You’ve used your machine for years. You’ve changed the oil, tires, and parts as needed. So, why replace it if it still works just fine? Well, in the modern age of farming and even warehousing, that’s not the best mentality. Sure, another piece of capital expenditure to your business isn’t ideal, but keep in mind, falling behind technological advancements and mechanical developments isn’t ideal either. Let’s walk through some examples of why it’s time for your company to start updating the fleet.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Every year, improvements are made to current models. Look at the newest model of your favorite sedan, for example. Complete with navigation, updated safety standards, better gas mileage and even the ability to sync with your phone so you can operate it hands-free. Those aren’t features you’d find in a car that’s 20+ years old, or even 10 for that matter. A well taken care of vehicle will still do the basics – get you from point A to point B, but it can’t do that as efficiently as a new model. Now, think about your forklift, log loader, or combine… Seeing some similarities?

John Deere and Hyster have made great strides in updating their equipment with new safety features and technological advancements like widening air seeder range or telemetry. As equipment continues to get smarter, faster and more efficient each year, you need to think about how the right upgrade can affect your business.

Not ready? That’s okay.

Even if you’re not ready to purchase a new piece of equipment, you should still reassess the current condition of your fleet – both in mechanical health and overall efficiency when looking at competitors - and prepare for the updates later on down the road. In the meantime, take a look at a few of these suggestions to hold you over until then:

Cab parts– Consider updating the cab of your machine. Although it isn’t a new piece of equipment, there’s no reason why it can’t feel that way. Try a camera observation system or some xenon HID lighting.

Attachments – Something like a remote electrohydraulic hitch switch is an easy way to update the attachments on your equipment. It allows you to raise and lower your 3-point hitch faster and easier with a simple switch.

Track Operations

With applications like telemetry and remote data monitoring, you can see pain points in your fleet. What makes telemetry vital to the modern machinery landscape is the ability to digitally track not only the location, but the wear and tear on you equipment. This information gives you the data and the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding machine usage and overall operating costs all from a virtual bird’s eye view. Until you’re able to update your equipment, consider something like Hyster Tracker to monitor the condition of your fleet.

Despite the capital expenditure attached to purchasing a new piece of equipment, updating your fleet – even gradually – is a must as machines and your competition become exponentially more advanced. Add-ons like cab parts and machine attachments can provide a stop-gap solution until you’re financially and operationally ready for the impending change. Although attachments and telematics are helpful even as add-ons to your equipment, nothing is as good as a machine with the best and most advanced features built right in.

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Papé

We’re Papé – here to keep you moving, whether you're on the farm, or building infrastructure, office buildings, and homes, or digging line, installing pipe, or looking for better ways of handling and warehousing. It's a promise we've kept for four generations and intend to keep for generations to come.